Mechanism for locking gas tank covers



Jan. 21, 1936. F, c. MCCLANAHAN MECHANISM FOR LOCKING GAS TANK COVERSFiled Feb. 27, 1935 fiederidrflMWiandmn Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED.STATES aozasis Mechanism roza Locxmo GAS ram:

. coveas g Frederick 0. MM, Homer, La. Application ra s-1, 1935, SerialNo. 8,578 c Clalrna. (o1. lea-146.5)

- This invention relates mechanism for locking the caps on gas tanks ofmotor vehicles. Its object is to provide means operated in conjunctionwith 'the'ignition switch of the vehicle forreleasing locking means onthe tank. A further .object is to provide means for preventing operationof the vehicle when the gasoline tank cap is removed. A still furtherobject is to provide means for insuring that the engine is stoppedbeforeopening of the gasoline'tank.

A further general object is to provide simple mechanism for carrying outthe above named objects.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the descriptionwhich follows. Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made apart hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate the sameparts throughout,

Figure 1 is a ditic view showing the wire circuits in-their relation tothe several parts of the vehicle, r Figure 2 is a vertical section thruthe ignition a switch.

Figure 3 is a sectiom of theignition switchtaken on line 3-4, v

Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the gas tank cover, taken on line4-4 of Figure 5, and o Figure 5-is a section on line H of. Figure 4. vTheobJects of'the invention are carried out by the provision of apositive lock for the gas tank cover which is released by electricallyoperated means which are controlled'by. the ignition key. The ignitionkey must be rotated to a predetermined position before the electricallyoperated means are put in operation. The mechanism is so arranged,moreover, that the ignition circuits are broken so that the engine-isstopped before the means for releasingthe locking means are operated.

In order to prevent operation of the vehicle when the cover of the tankis 01! means are provided for breaking a circuit to the ignition switchupon removal of the cap. This circuit is closed 61 only when the cap orcover is in position on the gas tank.

In the drawing numeral 10 indicates a'portion of ,the vehicle frame.Numerals l l and I2 indicate the engine and the ignition circuit to the1 engine respectively. A battery It is grounded to the vehicle frainethru wire IS. The ignitionv switch as a whole is indicated at 14 and isshown in detail in Figures 2 and 3-. The gasolinetank is provided with aneck portion It, .upon which any suitable cover I1 is fitted andsecured.The

cap may be w y a conventional bayonet'te slot fastening as shoin Figure5.

The neck portion I 6 is provided with suitable housings l8 and is whichmay be made integral therewith or which may be secured thereon in 5 anysuitable way. The housing It carries the locking phmger 20. This plungerextends thfu the wall of the neck I. and into a suitable hole or slot inthe depending portion of the cover which hts within the'neck. A spring2| at the 9 rear of the plunger urges it into locking position. Itisretracted by a solenoid 22. This solenoid is grounded to thevehicleframe by wire 23, and is connected with battery ll by wires 24and 25, which wires are connected to contacts a and 40 5 in theignitionswitch. The solenoid is energized only when circuit is closed acrosscontacts 30 and 40 as willbe later described.

The movable element of the ignition switch is the arm I! which isoperated by the usual igni- 2 tion key it. The ignition circuit consistsof wire 28, switch 21, wire 2|, arm 3!, we 2!.which closes circuit fromthe battery to the coil 30. The circuit is closed only when switch 21 isclosed and when arm 25 is moved to contact 25 point 4|; The switch arm35, is made of electrically conductive metal or carries a conductive"plate so as to make a circuit-from wire 28 to wire 2.9. o

The switch element 21 is carried on the outer 30 end'of a plunger l2. Aspring a is compressed between the enlarged end of the plunger and theinner end of the socket in which the plunger is housed and tends to urgethe plunger inwardly 1 to. move the switch element 21 inwardly to open35 circuit thru lines 2, 28, etc. The inner end of the plunger isbeveled at 34 and is engageable by the depending portion of the cover I!so that when the cover is put on the plunger willbe retracted and theswitch 21 closed. When the 40 cover is on, the switch will be open.

The switch arm 25 carries a conductive plate 20 which is insulated fromthe arm by suitable movedonly when the ignition switch has been" movedto apredetermined position. Fire regulations in many places require thatthe engine must be stopped whilellling the gasoline tank.

put on the tank. Should-the cover be dropped ignition circuit will beimmeof! in motion, the

, diately broken, so that the operator can recover the cap at once sincehe will know just where he has lost the cap.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various-changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the basic principlethereof, I, therefore, do not limit myself to the invention. as shownspecifically in the drawing and described in the specification, but onlyas set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. The combination with a gas tank cover of a lock for said cover,electrically operated means for releasing said lock, means operated bythe ignition key of the vehicle for controlling said electricallyoperated means, said means permitting releasing of saidlock only afterthe ignition circuit to the engine has been broken.

2. The combination with .a gas. tank cover of locking means for saidcover comprising'a plunger with means for positively moving said plungerto locking position, electrically operated means for retracting saidplunger to release the locking means, an ignition switch, an arm in saidswitch, a circuit to said electrically operated means and a pair ofcontacts in said ignition switch adapted to be closed by said arm toenergize said electrically operated means.

3. In a motor vehicle having a 'gas tank with removable cover, means forlocking said cover onthe tank, means for preventing removal of the coverwhen the engine is running, and means for preventing running of theengine when'the cover is removed. i

4. In a motor vehicle having a gas tank with removable cover, means forlocking said cover on the tank, electrically operable means forreleasing the locking means, means for preventing operation of saidelectrically operable means without stopping the engine and means forpreventing starting of the engine until the cover is placed in positionon the tank. I 5. In a motor vehicle having a gas tank with removablecover, means for locking said cover on the tank, a solenoid forretracting said looking means, an ignition coil, an ignition switchhaving an arm movable to a position toclose fcircuit to said'coil and toa position to energize the said solenoid, said arm breaking circuit to athe coil when the solenoid is energized.

6. In a motor vehicle having a fuel tank with 4 removable cover-thereon;an ignition circuit, a

switch in said circuit, means engageable by said cover for holding saidswitch closed when said cover is in place but operable to open saidswitch when said cover is removed from the tank, means for locking saidcover on said tank, electrically operable means for releasing saidlocking means said'electrically operable means being operable only whensaid ignition circuit is broken.

FREDERICK c. MCCLANAHAN.

